Are you concerned about the increasing costs of energy, food, and bills?
We understand this is a challenging time for many people, and we want to remind you that support is available. Whether you need help with debt, finding employment, heating your home, or feeding your family, we are here for you.
There's a range of help and advice available. Use the links on this page to see what cost of living help is available, how to apply for it and where to go for advice.
Contact us
If you need to ring us our lines are open Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm, telephone: 01706 923685
Cost of living support on GOV.UK
Find out what support is available to help with the cost of living. This includes income and disability benefits, bills and allowances, childcare, housing and travel.
View cost of living support available on GOV.UK
Get help with money, debt, and benefits
We understand this is a challenging time for many people. You can get help face-to-face, online or over the phone.
Find what help is available
Groundwork's Green Doctor programme
Groundwork's Green Doctors offer free, impartial advice and support to help you save energy, reduce your bills, and live in a warmer, more comfortable home.
Keep your home safe, dry and warm
Help for households and businesses with the cost of living
The government is also offering help for households and businesses. See what cost of living support you could be eligible for.
View available help for households and businesses (GOV.UK)
Cost of Living Payment
You could get an extra payment to help with the cost of living if you’re entitled to certain benefits or tax credits.
More on the Cost of Living Payment
 - Household Support Fund- Access financial support on food and household items, energy costs, nappies, baby foods, sanitary products and more. 
 - Help with energy bills, food banks and money- Help with energy bills, housing, benefits, food banks, childcare costs and more. 
 - Social tariffs – cheaper broadband and phone packages- Social tariffs are cheaper broadband and phone packages for people claiming Universal Credit, Pension Credit and some other benefits. 
 - Free SIM with free internet data- We’re part of the National Databank, and we can offer people up to 6 months of free data. We can provide SIM cards and help you set them up so you can use the internet on your devices. 
 - Discretionary Housing Payments- You may be eligible for an emergency payment to help you with your rent or housing costs. 
 - Discretionary Crisis Fund- This is a fund we can access as a last resort to provide goods to help residents who find themselves in a crisis. 
 - Food banks and food clubs- Find your local foodbank or join a food club. 
 - Apply for free school meals- You do not need to re-apply for free school meals every year unless your circumstances change. 
 - Help paying for school uniforms- The council doesn't provide grants for school uniforms, however, there are several things you could consider to help you reduce some of the costs. 
 - Warm Welcome Spaces in the borough- These Warm Welcome Spaces are places where local people can gather for free in a warm, safe, welcoming place and enjoy a free drink, activities and access to other services. 
 - Borrow a device or get free data from the Digitech Library- You can borrow a laptop or tablet from your local library for up to 9 weeks. We also offer free data for you to use on your devices. 
 - Borrowing money and illegal money lending- Learn how to identify and report a loan shark, and borrow money safely from a credit union. 
 - Get ready for winter- Top tips about keeping warm, preparing your home, staying heathy and connected with your community. 
 - Power cuts- Find out how to report a power cut in your area, and how to stay safe and comfortable until the power is back on. 
 - Traffic and travel- Check the weather conditions and road updates before you travel or use public transport. 
 - Home improvement, energy efficiency and repairs- Find out how to save money and keep your home warm. 
 - Purchase pre-loved household items- Visit Recycle for Greater Manchester's Renew shops to purchase pre-loved household items at an affordable price. 
 - Take climate action and save money- Taking small steps to improve your health, lifestyle and more can help the planet and also save you money. 
 - Jobs and skills support- Find jobs vacancies or get help. 
 - Find your nearest job centre (GOV.UK website)- Use the search facility to find your nearest office. 
 - Things to see and do on a budget- The borough of Rochdale has so much to offer for families looking for fun, or people who want to relax on a budget. 
 - Energy saving scams- Scammers may sometimes contact you pretending to be from Ofgem and may try to suggest you switch energy suppliers and ask for your bank details or offer rebates. 
Help for businesses
 - Help with energy bills for businesses- The government's Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS) will cut energy prices for non-domestic energy customers such as businesses and charities. 
 - Business advice and support- Get advice and support with finding grants, health and safety, starting a new business, and more. 
Decision making
 - Policies, strategies and reviews- We use policy and strategy documents to guide our decisions. We also use them to develop and run our services fairly and consistently. 
 - Councillors and committees- Councillors are responsible for agreeing provision of services and how the council's money is spent. 
 
            














